Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

Two years ago I was the global AE of the year for LinkedIn I would say that was a big accomplishment for myself just given you know was based out of Chicago had a non-ademic book meaning I worked with the Jim Beams, the McDonald’s of the world which aren’t exactly consumer products lining up to to use LinkedIn for advertising needs because we’re much more business to business to be able to work through that and to attain a large client like Microsoft and to become one of the best AEs at LinkedIn and globally was a huge accomplishment for me both in pride and to see that my work and my theories in terms of sales had paid off but also for my wife at the time. Still today is my wife was super proud just to see. She knew how hard I was working at getting there in terms of definitely a lot of trial and error. That would be the first few years at LinkedIn to develop a certain process that clients respected and liked and to see that come full circle and to see high results and also be recognized for being the global AE of the year was a huge accomplishment.

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Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

I wake up between pre I was definitely up between four and five. I love road cycling. So for me it was getting out the door and getting on my bike before six was a big thing but I also like to crank on some of my either my big ideas or email before I leave the door. There’s a bit of accomplishment I like to feel before I get into anything else and if I’m not doing email or working on something big I like to go over my plan again. I know some people might sound as if it’s crazy but for me it’s just like that’s where I’m best is in the morning and so I like to crank on the hard stuff I need to think about because come four or five I’m like crashing and so I know I have to get up and do it or I’m just not going to be as effective during the day and I’m going to have that five to seven to eight guilt that I didn’t get enough done.

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Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

I think we’ve all heard the classic you know quote of always work for a great leader. Don’t work for a great company something to that effect. But you know there’s been times in my career where I’ve chosen a company over the leader. There was a big shiny brand that I went for versus a leader and I would say that that was a mistake that I’ll never do again. But the mentor standpoint you know for me at the time because I was a bit more introverted than most younger it helped me a time because he’s definitely over on the extrovert side and probably brought it out of me a lot more than I realized. But also was extremely kind and compassionate in the development main. I think he you know it was pure luck frankly getting such a good mentor I would like to say I was conscious at the time and liked him but he selected me and you know I think it was having compassion and understanding of my unique skills and I think he just did a great job of bringing them to me in such a short time. And I wish I wish I would’ve been more more selective or conscious of that decision especially even after that. I don’t think I realized at the time how great I had it but I would have. That’s one thing I guess I’d recommend that people be conscious of especially through the interview process and when you’re looking at leadership it matters so much. You know the results saying is is definitely there by making sure that you have a good leader who has a process but also has compassion to learn about you and understand your strengths and know how to put those strengths to use.

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Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

My key theme is I don’t want to oversimplify this but you know I try to keep things simple so for me as you know every business has a process and so I always saw myself as almost this independent business within a greater company. It first starts with understanding that there’s going to be business drivers and there’s going to be business hurdles for clients that they’re dealing with. They want to take advantage of their drivers and they want to lower their barriers as much as possible so they can overcome them. So knowing that I can be active in the market place in terms of listening from clients but also the Internet is such a such a great trove of information that you can pretty much walk into a client and understand their problems to be able to least derive some insights both with what’s happening on the internet what’s happening with their business by talking to them. But also LinkedIn is a tremendous resource in terms of understanding insights about their business as well.

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Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

What separates me I guess is I’m an over planner at times and that may be a little bit of the introverted side of things but I feel like with enterprise companies the ability to plan and make connections within these large companies can really separate you from others I feel you know most people try to go and kill the big whale so to speak at these big enterprise companies. But really you have to catch a ton of little fish and the only way that you’re going to do that is through planning.

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Clip from Episode 1: #1 LinkedIn Account Executive – Mike Dudgeon:

Being different is recognizing the strengths in yourself and kind of giving yourself the excuse to be yourself. I feel like in sales people still try to attain a certain persona which is almost like this extroverted type of person where they look and feel the same. I believe to differentiate yourself there’s only one type of you and that person can be highly different. So I think this is something that you learn over time. Some people learn when they’re 22 Some learn when they’re 42. And so I think it’s just continuing to ask yourself the questions in terms of what are your strengths what feels natural. And for me it’s always just been like what’s most fun to me and it’s always just been what’s been natural to me is just curiosity. And what I’ve learned over time which is actually was what we’ll get into later maybe is just kind of fear. Has it always been kind of my weakness. But at the same time it’s been the most fun for me when I’m taking when I’m taking risks.

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